In data recording technology as presently known, there is a continuing effort to increase data bit packing density and track density. To this end, the magnetic heads and particularly their transducing gaps used for reading and writing have been made smaller in length and width in order to be able to process shorter wavelength or higher frequency data. Thus, thin film heads such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,872 are employed in high data density disk files, by way of example. In such type heads, a multiplicity of thin films are deposited on a substrate but are not disposed in completely parallel layers. The thin films are built up in successive layers, but bends or sloping portions appear adjacent to the edges of some of the layers. These bend portions may cause a break in the continuity of a layer, thereby exposing conductive elements to an electrical shorting condition.
In continuance of efforts to enhance read/write heads, a combination of an inductive write thin film head and a magneto-resistive (MR) sensing read head in an integral structure has been proposed. In some types of integral read/write assemblies employing MR sensors as the read element, the MR element is deposited over the first thin film pole piece P1 and on part of the transducing gap layer formed between the P1 pole piece and a second thin film pole piece P2. In such assemblies, it is necessary to make contact to the MR sensor element with highly conductive continuous nonmagnetic films made of gold for example. These conductors are extended from the P1 pole piece to electrical contacts or terminations. However, in such prior art assemblies the conductors are deposited above the P1 layer and gap layer and are characterized by curved portions that are prone to break in continuity, thereby causing failure of the head assembly.
A second problem that is encountered with read/write head assemblies of this type involves the shorting of the two conductors that contact the P1 layer. During fabrication of the thin gap layer, the edges of the P1 pole piece layer become exposed, as a result of coverage problems caused by missing insulation in the gap layer. Subsequently, when depositing the MR sensor and conductors, a shorting condition occurs between the P1 layer and these conductors. Consequently, the MR sensor is electrically bypassed by the P1 layer at an overlapping area, so that the device is not operable.
Another problem that occurs in magnetic head assemblies having MR sensors is that of contact resistance between these conductors and the MR sensor. The conductors define the track width of the MR read sensor. The area directly beneath the conductors on the gap surface is the contact area. The MR sensor stripe breaks its continuity at the edge of the P1 layer that defines one side of the contact, whereas the conductor width plus any misregistration, defines the other side of the contact. A limited contact area causes variations and increases in resistance that degrade the performance or cause failure of the magnetic head assembly.